


Woman and Wife

by omg_wtf_yeah



Category: Fried Green Tomatoes (1991)
Genre: F/F, Illustrated, Let's Get Gay Married Commentfic Meme, Marriage, Marriage Proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-25
Updated: 2011-07-25
Packaged: 2017-10-21 18:32:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 780
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/228306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/omg_wtf_yeah/pseuds/omg_wtf_yeah
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt: "Fried Green Tomatoes, Idgie/Ruth, A private, unofficial wedding ceremony"<br/><i>Her smile formed the borders of Ruth’s natural world but never bound her in and Ruth wouldn’t have it any other way.</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	Woman and Wife

  


“Idgie, what is this about and why was Buddy Jr. insistin’ that I wear this old blue…” Ruth’s voice trailed off as she ducked under the branches of a dogwood tree and came into the clearing, her eyes wide on the sight of the five familiar people already standing there, “…dress?” she finished a second later. She blinked her wide, brown eyes at Idgie in clean, gray slacks and black suspenders, a small nosegay of heather in the hand on her hip.

“He insisted ‘cause I told him to. Because it’s my favorite.” Idgie fidgeted, her sun-dark features uncharacteristically nervous. Her blonde hair was pushed back under a fine felt hat. “I was beginning to wonder if you’d ever get here,” she cracked lamely. She gestured to the others with the nosegay. “We almost up and left.”

Ruth’s eyes passed from Idgie to Buddy Jr. beside her, dressed in a clean vest wholly removed from Idgie’s usual bad influence, to the red-faced Reverend Scroggins standing under a dogwood tree. Finally, her gaze fell on Sipsey and Big George, who were dressed in their best, smiling at Idgie’s other side. “Reverend,” Ruth pronounced slowly in greeting. She looked back to the blonde. “Idgie, what’s goin’ on here?”

Idgie stepped closer and Ruth almost laughed in happiness at the sight of her scuffed brown loafers – even at a time like this, Idgie Threadgoode could not be tamed – but when Idgie’s loved, calloused hands curled on the brim of her hat and dragged it off her blonde hair and Idgie looked earnestly into Ruth’s face, the urge to laugh yielded to a sense of breathless anticipation, warmed through and through. After all this time, how this overgrown wild child, this tangle of honeysuckle in overgrowth – how this woman made Ruth feel was a wonder.

“What I’m doing,” Idgie said, “is askin’ you to marry me – because I’m tired out, waitin’ to hear you say yes.”

Ruth’s wide brown eyes went to Reverend Scroggins. “Are you – did you know what she was planning?” she asked incredulously. The Reverend closed both hands awkwardly on his holy book, but he didn’t deny it. Ruth turned to the others, Buddy Jr., Sipsey, and Big George in turn. “Wait, you all knew?” she asked.

“Hell,” Sipsey said, fanning herself from the spring heat, “we thought it was about time. Always said – if anybody’s gonna be making an honest woman out of Idgie, it’s gonna be Ruth.”

“While I would not ordinarily endorse this kind of thing, sometimes we must accept that the Lord reveals Himself in mysterious ways and it’s not for us to question,” the Reverend said, eyes darting to Idgie impatiently.

Ruth sequestered Idgie with a hand on her elbow. “What did you do?” she demanded without heat.

“I threatened to light his porch on fire,” Idgie answered without hesitation.

Ruth rolled her eyes. Good Lord, this woman. “Well,” she deliberated carefully, “since somebody’s got to keep you from doing something foolhardy and reckless…” Her eyes stung as she looked into Idgie’s face. She was Ruth’s friend and confidant and her rescuer, and more than that – Ruth was her companion. She was the woman Ruth loved. “I do.” Ruth lifted a hand up to forestall the Reverend’s planned ceremony. “And before you get to the rest of it, 'I do' to that, too.”

Reverend Scroggins puffed up, looking from Ruth to the bible in consternation. No doubt he’d had a lovely assortment of psalms chosen for the occasion. Ruth had just been to enough weddings to know how this went.

“Ah hell!” Idgie grinned rapturously, “You know I do, Ruth!”

Reverend Scroggins flushed bright red, sputtering. “You may now—”

“Kiss the bride,” Idgie interrupted, clasping Ruth’s cheeks. “We know!”

Heat raced through Ruth as Idgie planted her lips on hers, kissing her deeply beneath the dogwood trees. Even as the good Reverend muttered about Idgie’s bad influence and as Buddy Jr. whooped loudly, dancing by their sides, Ruth clung to the soft pressure of Idgie’s kiss, exciting every fiber of her being and every part of her soul. No moment had ever been so sweetly pure and wondrous.

When they broke apart, Idgie ran her fingertips over Ruth’s damp cheek. Her smile formed the borders of Ruth’s natural world but never bound her in and Ruth wouldn’t have it any other way.

Reverend Scroggins cleared his throat. “Now then, if both of you all are ready – I know pronounce you _woman_ and wife.”

“Hell yes!” Idgie’s wild cry of laughter was music more beautiful than any Ruth had ever heard. Ruth pressed her flushed face into Idgie’s hair, her whole heart winging with pure, joyful gratitude.

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for Bree_Black's [Let's Get Gay Married Commentfic Meme](http://bree-black.livejournal.com/84411.html), for the fantastic prompt, "Fried Green Tomatoes, Idgie/Ruth, A private, unofficial wedding ceremony." I took her at her word that there's no close to the meme. ;)  
> For the graphic, credit for the screencaps is owed to [Dragonlady981](http://dragonlady981.livejournal.com/28341.html), the image of dogwood is from [here](http://thundafunda.com/1600x1200-wallpaper/hr-photos-8-beautiful-dogwood-blossom-flowers-with-green-leaves-backgrounds/).


End file.
